2018 Family Summer Bucket List + FREE Printable

Summer is in full swing for our family.  The kids have been out of school for a week and we've already started up the summer reading program at our local library, attended Clover Kids day camps and had TBall practices and games.  Before the summer progresses too much further I wanted share what the kids and I came up with for our annual Summer Bucket List for this year!

Create your own Summer Bucket List with my FREE Printable

Every list person's fantasy - bullet notes and calendar space to put annul events and activities so you can think how to schedule everything 😉

Top Posts of 2017

One of my favorite parts of the New Year is that it is a great time to reflect on the past and make goals for the future.  Today I'm reflecting on the past year by sharing some of my top read blog post written in 2017.  As a lifestyle blogger I have a lot of areas I write about, so here is a breakout of my top farm, family, recipe and Comments for a Cause posts.

Top 3 Farm Posts

1. Reflections of a Lifetime of Farming:  I love that the interview I did of my good friend and neighbor Merlin, in honor of his 80th birthday, turned out to be my top farming post of the year.  It was a lot of fun to reflect on how farming has changed during his lifetime and I'm so happy to have him as a part of our farm family.
2. Ladies Night Out in the Field:  In September I was apart of the inaugural CommonGround Iowa Ladies Night Out in the Field event.  This event brought together 40 women from Central Iowa to talk about food, farming and family, all while having a beautiful dinner party at the Kellie Blair Farm.  The conversations and connections made at this event were awesome and I can't wait to be apart of the 2nd Annual event next year.
3. I'm an #ActualLivingFarmer:  This winter there was a hashtag, #ActualLivingFarmer, that caught my eye and became trending on Twitter.  The hashtag was meant for farmers to share their story of who they are and what they do, as less than 2% of the US Population is a farmer.  Included in this post is my initial tweet and links to several posts that share about my family's farm.

Top 3 Family Posts

1. Clear Lake's Yurts - A Family Bucket List Must!:  This was my overall top read blog post written in 2017 and I'm not surprised.  Immediately after this post was written it was shared hundreds of times on Facebook.  The Yurts in Clear Lake, Iowa are a unique camping option in North Iowa that my family loves going to and can't say enough good things about.
2. Iowa Ice Cream Road Trip:  For the last four years my family and I have been going on an Iowa Ice Cream Road Trip every June in recognition of National Dairy Month.  This year on National Ice Cream Day we shared all of our stops over the last four years and hopefully inspired some others to go out and discover these fun and delicious ice cream shops.
3. 6 Truth About Being a Mom of 4 Kids:  This was a fun post I wrote about life as a Mom with four young children.  It was fun to share about how life and my parenting style has changed through the years and as we have added more kids to our family.  Being a Mom is something I love and am very proud of.

Top 3 Recipe Posts

1. Rum Logs:  My top recipe post was a family favorite that I shared during Christmas Cookies Week earlier this month.  This recipe was handed down from my Great Grandma, who I loved and admired and was lucky enough to have as a part of my life for over 20 years.  Rum Logs are a light and slightly sweet cookie that will melt in your mouth and that are a perfect compliment to a glass of Egg Nog!
2. Easy Pecan Sticky Buns:  This is one of my go to recipes that I love to make when we have family and friends over for breakfast and brunch.  It is easy to make, a hit with all ages and you've got to check out what the secret ingredient is that make these rolls extra sweet!
3. Apple Oatmeal Coffee Mug Cake:  This recipe was shared during this year's Apple Week and is a perfect recipe when you want to indulge a little.  I love making this Mug Cake anytime of the day - breakfast, snack or as an evening dessert.

Top 3 Comments for a Cause Posts

1. Ashland Community Foundation Fire Relief Fund:  This Spring there were some devastating wildfires that affected ranchers in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado.  During April I raised awareness and donated to one of the hardest hit areas.  The damage and losses from their wildfires were horrible, but the outpouring of support from farmers from across the nation was amazing.
2. Houston Food Bank:  My heart hurt for everyone that was affected by the Hurricanes at the end of the summer, including Hurricane Harvey which hit the Houston, Texas area hard.  As a way to help those affected, I donated money to the Houston Food Bank's Harvey Disaster Relief fund.  I also joined up with some other food bloggers to share some Texas inspired recipes to help raise awareness for relief needs and efforts.
3. Franklin County Freedom Rock:  My home county is getting ready for our Freedom Rock to get finished as part of the 99 County Freedom Rock Tour.  This winter the official rock was moved to it's final home and the rock is scheduled to get painted in 2018.  My family even went on a mini-tour of other area county Freedom Rocks to get excited for ours to get finished!

What was your favorite post from 2017?  Did you discover any new post from the top 2017 lists?   Be sure to check out my BestNine Instagram photo too!  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Comments for a Cause - The Michael J. Fox Foundation

This last month has been a whirlwind and I'm hoping to find my groove now that December has arrived.  I'll get more into that later, but to start off, let's talk about my Comments for a Cause efforts in October and November for Farm Rescue.  Through all of your comments, I'm excited to donate $39 to help farmers in need with donated labor and equipment.

In the month of December I'm excited to be supporting The Michael J. Fox Foundation.  I will donate $0.50 for every comment made on my blog to help their Parkinson's Disease research and treatment efforts.

My mother-in-law is an amazing woman.  She is caring, attentive, witty and one of the strongest women I know.  I feel so fortunate that I first got to know her fifteen years ago.  Our relationship has grown stronger and closer through the years, as I went from her son's girlfriend, to son's fiance, to son's wife, neighbor and friend.  Through this time her life has also changed as she was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease 14 years ago.

For the first few years the main symptom she had was that her feet didn't cooperate with her going on her daily run anymore, so she switched to primarily doing yoga, which has been great for her to help with her strength.  Then in 2008 she had Deep Brain Stimulator surgery, which is a procedure that implanted a brain pacemaker.  The DBS sends electrical impulses to specific parts of the brain to help with movement and other areas affected by Parkinson's.  The DBS helped her with quality of life for many years, and still helps some today, but I will admit it's effectiveness has warn off some.  I'm not sure if that is because she's had it for almost ten years, or if it is because we are now ten years farther into her Parkinson's, or a combination of both.  But none the less, I know the DBS has been a benefit for my mother-in-law.

One of my all-time favorite photos from our wedding reception
My Mother-in-Law said her doctor insisted she carry
a champagne bottle with her at all times to help her with her balance 😉

So then we find ourselves at the beginning of November and my mother-in-law became hospitalized with her first major complication from her Parkinson's.  She was diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia and had a feeding tube placed to help her have less aspiration of her food and liquids.  She is currently in skilled care working on physical, occupational and speech therapies so she come back home.

Through all of this I am still amazed by my mother-in-law's strength.  If she wasn't a strong person, she would have given up a long time ago, let alone in this last month.  But I truly believe one of the things that keeps her going is the love for her family and her love of God.  I talked about how my mother-in-law and I have grown closer through the years and that is partly due to her Parkinson's.  I help her get groceries, or run errands, or take her to appointments, which has allowed us to get to know each other better.  I feel so fortunate that I am able to help her and that I have gotten to know her on such a personal level.

My Mother-in-Law and six of her seven grandkids
(this photo was taken about a month before #7 was born)

I also love seeing the care and affection my children give her.  I know my husband (and I) think back and wish what could have been for my mother-in-law as a grandma.  And while yes, our kids aren't able to run around or get down on the floor to play with her, but the relationship they have with her is one of a kind.  Our oldest Mr K. loves reading her books which is great for him because he's working on his reading skills, and great for her because she is a book lover.  Our oldest daughter Miss A is always a big helper for her grandma, always offering to carry her purse and help her out in anyway when we run errands together.  Miss L is so warm and tender with her grandma.  Every time we see her she gives her a hug and does this soft rub of her hands.  It is so precious to see.  And finally Miss R; she loves to give her grandma big hugs and big cheesy smiles that then give a smile to my mother-in-law.

Parkinson's is one of the hardest diseases I think anyone can go through.  It has always been on my mind obviously for the last fourteen years, but is has pretty much been the only thing I've been able to think about the last month.  Simply put, Parkinson's is a sad, debilitating disease, and The Michael J. Fox Foundation isn't just there to help people figure out how to live with the disease, but they are dedicated to finding a cure for it.  So this month I am going to be supporting their efforts by donating $0.50 for every comment made on my blog to their foundation.  Please help me and my family by commenting all month long!

Ladies Night Out in the Field

As a busy Mom of four I'm always looking for a good excuse for a Ladies Night Out, and that was part of the inspiration behind CommonGround Iowa's inaugural Ladies Night Out: Banquet in the Field.

Photo courtesy of Joe Murphy

I am a volunteer with the national CommonGround program, which brings together women farmers from across the United States, to share about the food we grow and how we produce it.  Our goal is to have conversations to help consumers sort through the myths and misinformation surrounding food and farming.  There are twelve volunteers in the state of Iowa.  Last year after harvest we got together and decided we wanted to create an event where we could foster relationships with other women in Iowa and talk about food, farming and family.  One of our volunteers, Kellie Blair, volunteered to host the event, and from there the event that brought together 40 women from Central Iowa (and four men - all with the last name Blair and our photographer 😉) got its roots.

Our host Kellie Blair and one of the Blair men 😉
welcoming guests to their family's farm
Photo courtesy of Joe Murphy

The evening started off with appetizers and small chat over wine.  It was great to meet a wide variety of women - teachers, legislators, marketing professionals, business owners, pastors, etc.

Des Moines Moms Blog Co-Owners Andrea Cooley and Kara Knaack
having a conversation with CommonGround Volunteer Sara Ross and myself
Photo courtesy of Joe Murphy

After everyone arrived and had their fill of appetizers, Kellie welcomed everyone to their corn, soybean, pig and cattle farm.  Kellie and her husband AJ took the group around to checkout some of their equipment and cattle, as well as answer questions about some of their farming practices and technologies used.

AJ sharing about their beef cattle calving season,
while many got their perfect cow photo and cow selfies
Photo courtesy of Joe Murphy

Then it was time for supper to be served.  The menu included amazing smoked beef tri tip, roasted pork tenderloin, marinated garden vegetables with edamame, and dauphinoise potatoes.  I have to specifically name the menu because it was delicious and perfect for a ladies night out!

Photo courtesy of Joe Murphy

Following supper there was a short program which included AE Dairy President & CEO Miriam Erickson Brown.  It was great to catch up with both her and AE Dairy Director of Marketing Kim Peter that evening, and for Miriam to share the AE Dairy story with all of the attendees.  AE Dairy has made changes over the decades to reflect trends but one thing remains the same, their passion for quality and that starts with the cows on the Iowa dairy farms they source their milk from.  I also loved that she shared about being a third generation family business owner.

Miriam Erickson Brown, President & CEO of AE Dairy
sharing with the women about her family's dairy business
Photo courtesy of Joe Murphy

But you want to know what my favorite part of the evening was???  It was the dessert!  And not just because the warm apple crisp and vanilla ice cream were once again delicious; it was because of the conversations held sitting at the tables or standing in line to get more ice cream.  After a couple hours of dinning and hearing about all of the volunteers' farms, the women in attendance had lots of questions and were interested in learning more.  Our intimate setting was the perfect spot for everyone to feel comfortable to ask any question and have discussions about food and farming.  There were so many connections made that evening.

Blair Farm
Photo courtesy of Joe Murphy

Thank you to Kellie and AJ for being our gracious hosts.  You both were great at sharing about your farm with everyone.  Thanks to my fellow CommonGround Iowa volunteers for working on everything from the invite list, to bringing flowers from their personal gardens to use as table decorations.  Thank you to our CommonGround staff for making arrangements for things like a tent, tables and chairs, and for taking our ideas and transforming them into something tangible.  And lastly, thanks to all of the women who shared their Friday night with us.  I hope you had a great Ladies Night Out and I can't wait for the 2nd Annual event next year!

Have you ever been to a Ladies Night Out on a farm?  Have you ever been to a Banquet in a Field?  Share about your experiences in the comments section.  And if you haven't been to an event like this and would like to, let me know that as well!  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

6 Truths About Being a Mom of 4 Kids

Being a Mom is something that I absolutely love and it is something I am very proud of.  I've wanted to be a Mom ever since I was a little girl.  And to tell you the truth, I've wanted to be a Mom of four ever since I was a little girl.  Sure I thought I was going to have a household of boys when I was growing up, but now I wouldn't trade in my one son and three daughters for anything.

My Kids and I from L to R: Miss R, Mr. K, Miss A and Miss L

Since I became a Mom six years ago a lot has changed.  First, obviously, is now I have a house full of kids.  Second, is my parenting style has slightly changed.  Now while I feel like I've always been a pretty laid back parent that is guided by structure and guidelines, I feel like with each year that passes and with each kid added to our family I've learned a few things:

Be Prepared to Share Your Food (And Really Everything...)
I'm not sure the last time I was able to eat an entire meal without someone asking me if they could finish or eat something from my plate...  From part of my salad, to finishing my grapes, to just one bite of my pork chop.  It seems like I'm always being asked to share...  But, I guess we're teaching our kids to share...  So, I guess I need to do a better job of telling them Mom's food is off limits 😉

Teach Responsibility
We are teaching our kids responsibility by having them take care of not only the house, but help on the farm and in our community.  When it comes to teaching responsibility at home, make sure you get your kids involved in taking care of your house.  I actually had a blog post drafted a couple years ago that I never published about chore charts, because by the time I was ready to publish it, I realized I didn't use chore charts anymore.  We have a rule in our house that everybody pitches in.  If something needs picked up, then whoever is close by is going to pick it up.  Everyone helps with setting and clearing the kitchen table, everyone helps with diaper duty, etc.  There is a way for everyone to get involved no matter how old they may be.

You Will Never Have Enough Hands
Think about it, you have two hands but have four kids... the math doesn't quite add up for being able to hold everyone's hands to help them out.  But that is the glorious part of maybe instead thinking how you have lots of hands.  I'm sure you've heard the phrase, "it takes a village to raise a child."  I guess in a way My Farmer and I have created our own village and it is amazing to see how the older children naturally step up and their nurturing abilities take over, even as young as 18 months!  All of our kids do a great job of playing and working together.  They care deeply for one another and are willing and able to help each other out.

Now while going grocery shopping or crossing through a parking lot I still may wish My Farmer's extra hands were always there, we can and do make it work.  It's all apart of taking care of our village.

Have a Daily Routine
I understand with kids you need to have some flexibility, but I believe with any number of kids - one or ten, you need to have a daily routine.  We have a morning routine, a "quiet time" routine, a bedtime routine, and even a routine for leaving the house.  This helps your children to know what to expect during their day, which leads them to simply functioning better, and resulting in being happy.  And like I said, sometimes things get moved slightly and we might not have "quiet time" (aka naps for the younger kids and individual quiet play/activities for the older kids and Mom 😉) start as early as we want, but we do work it in everyday.

One is an Accessory, Two is a Lifestyle, so Four is...
My Farmer always says the saying that "One is an Accessory, Two is a Lifestyle."  It's true, when you have just one kid it's simple to bring them wherever you go, traveling (with or without your child) isn't a huge deal, and while yes you have some toys, you have toys for one developmental stage and for one child.  Add in baby number two and you realize that your children become part of your lifestyle.  Now while we still bring our kids to most places with us, there are times and situations that we realize that we either need to find a sitter or stay at home.  Traveling with a van full of kids takes a bit more patience and a bit more strategy than just one, and getting away and traveling without your kids also takes more organization and commitment.  And toys - we have toys for four different developmental stages.  My advice with that is try to get activities that work for more than one kid.  I will also add that we have a rule in our house that no matter who received the toy, game, etc. anyone can play with it.  It's not "just mine"; everyone can use it.

Lots of Love
In the end, the best part or truth of having four kids is that there is lots of love in your home.  Love from parent to child, child to child, and parent to parent.  I never have to worry about going a day without kisses and hugs from everyone.  Build up your family's love by making your own traditions - from Friday Night Pizza & Movie Night, to Birthday Waffles, to Family Date Nights.  Always be building on your foundation of love.

What truths of parenting would you add?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Top Posts of 2016

When people ask me about what my blog is about, I say that it is a lifestyle blog.  I say that because I share about my farm, I share about my family, I share about living in North Iowa, I share about different causes and organizations, I share recipes, and then sometimes I just share.  I feel like my blog can't be just nailed down into one category, so I put it in the category of lifestyle because I'm truly sharing about my life!

And now that it is the end of 2016, it's a great time reflect on the past year.  I felt like I couldn't just give a simple "Top 10" list or something like that.  I wanted to share with you my top 3 posts from each "aspect" of my blog.  I hope you enjoy looking back over the last year, as much as I did putting this post together 😊

Top 3 Farm Posts

1. Harvest of Thanks to our Farm Family:  This post not only shared a recap on this fall's harvest, but it also introduced you to some members of our "farm family".  We wouldn't be able to accomplish everything on our farm without help, and in this post I introduce you to three of our helpers.  I also share that we are a finalist for the Iowa Young Farmer Achievement Award in this post and I'm excited to report that we won this award and now will be representing Iowa in the national contest next month!
2. Knee High by the 4th of July:  Every year we take a family photo next to one of our corn fields for our annual "Knee High by the 4th of July" photo.  This post is always a favorite of mine and obviously for my readers too.  Check out our "over head high" corn from this past 4th of July.
3. What it means to be a FarmHer:  This is a post I wrote this fall in response to a conversation I had in the grocery store.  I am proud to be a woman farmer and I'm working hard, along with others, to ensure that my daughters can be women in agriculture too.

Top 3 Family Posts

1. A Week's Worth of Blessings:  My top family post was the post I wrote after our youngest, Miss R was born.  This was obviously a highlight of our family's year, so it makes me smile that this post is the top family post of the year.
2. Back to School Farm Kid Style with Carhartt:  I had a lot of fun partnering with Carhartt this summer to share their new line of children's backpacks.  Mr. K loves his Carhartt backpack and had a lot of fun helping me write a review for this post and giveaway.
3. When I Grow Up I Want To Be A Farmer:  My next top family post also involves Mr. K.  In honor of National Ag Day this Spring, I interviewed him on why he wants to be a farmer when he grows up.  This post makes me smile so much.  It's a lot of fun to take a look through a 5 year old's eyes on what being a farmer means.

Top 3 North Iowa Posts

1. 5 Family Winter Fun Activities in North Iowa and Beyond:  It probably isn't a secret, but I actually love the winter time!  There are so many great activities my family enjoys going to during the winter in our home area that I wrote a post about our favorites, so hopefully more people would enjoy and embrace the fun that winter brings to North Iowa!
2. Farmers Market Quiche:  This post could have fallen under a couple of categories but I decided to include it in my top North Iowa posts because it shares about my local Franklin County Farmers Market.  I love going to our local Farmers Market as much as possible during the summer and in this post I also share a delicious quiche I made with some of the fresh produce I picked up.  I actually made this quiche just last week for Christmas Eve brunch and it was a hit with our extended family!
3. Oh, what I'll do for charity - Cupid's Undie Run:  This post recapped my first experience running in my underwear for the Cupid's Undie Run this past February in Mason City.  I must have had a lot of fun, or I'm crazy, because I'm signed up to do it again this February!

Top 3 Comments for a Cause Posts

1. What it means to be a "Blue Family":  This is a guest post that one of my younger sisters wrote as a support piece towards my Comments for a Cause efforts for Iowa C.O.P.S.  This post has come into play a couple times I'm afraid this past year.  I encourage you to take some time to read this post to better understand and have empathy to know what it means to be a police officer family.
2. Lullaby Lane:  Lullaby Lane was such a neat local project that raised money to create a prayer pathway and memorials for those who have had a miscarriage in North Iowa.  I'm proud to say this project was completed in time for its dedication in October of this year on Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day.
3. Make Our Day:  Sometimes you never know how a simple email and conversation can lead you to getting to know someone new and wanting to share their story.  That is how I got to know Katie, founder of Make Our Day, and shared her story of moving to Thailand and eventually creating this organization.  You'll have to check out the post to get to full story. 😉

Top 3 Recipe Posts

1. Back to School Caramel Crispix Mix:  I literally hear from people each week that they have tried this recipe and now are addicted to it like my family and I.  This is a great snack to make for any gathering.  If you're having a kid-friendly New Year's get together (or even if it is adults only) you should make a batch!
2. 3 Ingredient Strawberry Lemonade Sorbet:  Everyone must have been looking for something simple and refreshing this summer because this 3 Ingredient Strawberry Lemonade Sorbet using AE Dairy's Reduced Sugar Lemonade fits that bill.  Even though strawberries aren't in season, I'm thinking maybe I should get some frozen strawberries and make this soon!
3. #AppleWeek 1 Minute Caramel Apple Dip:  I had a lot of fun participating in Apple Week with some of my blogging friends this past September and my 1 Minute Caramel Apple Dip is my favorite recipe I shared.  So simple, good, and obviously fast!

Top 3 Can't Fit in Another Category But Still Want to Highlight Posts

1. The Influence of Millennials on Food Trends:  This Winter I was interviewed for an article on the topic of millennials and their influence on food trends.  As both a millennial and farmer I found this topic very interesting.  In this blog post I shared some of my thoughts from the article and more, and I guess my readers found the topic interesting too since it was my top viewed "other" post from the year.
2. New Year Goal - Making a Daily Routine:  What a great post to revisit just a couple days til the start of 2017.  I have to admit, I went through waves of being really good at my daily routine and times of just flying through doing whatever needed to be done.  I always feel better myself when I can do my daily routine and I plan on concentrating on this again in the New Year.
3. 5 Gardening Tips for Beginners:  I think more and more people are interested in planting their own garden every year, but a lot of times they don't know where or how to start.  I put together several tips for beginners so hopefully their first garden won't overwhelm them and be successful at the same time.

What post was your favorite from 2016?  Did you discover any new posts from the top 2016 lists?  If you want to see more "top lists" recapping 2016, check out my #2016bestnine on Instagram or my Facebook page.  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

2016 Family Summer Bucket List

Each summer our family loves creating a Summer Bucket List.  I am personally a "list person", so creating an annual bucket list helps me keep track of everyone's wishes for summer fun.  We have had a lot of fun the last few years (2015, 2014, 2013) crossing things off our list and making memories (some of which have even become traditions).  I'm sure this summer will be no different!

This year's Summer Bucket List includes things that we have done in the past, things we want to do more of, and some new things!

Last year we went on a vacation in Alaska and went fishing every day.  Ever since we've gotten back from that trip, the kids have been asking to go fishing again.  So this summer we're going to go fishing at our local lake during Iowa's Free Fishing Weekend - June 3-5.

We have had camping on our Summer Bucket List every year but have yet do it (besides backyard camping)!  This year we'd love to rent a camper (or buy a new one - our old one isn't "livable" anymore) and go camping at one of our local campgrounds.  Both My Farmer and I use to go camping all the time when we were first married in an old pop-up camper.  But once we started having kids we haven't been back.  Our plan is to have that change this summer!

You can't go camping without campfire pizza pockets, hobo packets, campfire apple pies, or s'mores.  S'mores are such a classic summer food and we plan on making them camping and just for fun at our house.

Last year we went Letterboxing once and this year we'd like to go on more letterboxing adventures in our area and when we are traveling.  We have our letterboxing journal and ink pad in the van, ready for our next endeavor.

Inspired by Jen from Just a Mom giving it a TRI, this summer we'd like to have some pizza and park family nights.  What is more fun and easier than grabbing a pizza and taking it to a local park for some good food and fun.  Our kids love going to the park and love pizza - so this is a perfect summer combination for some family fun.

It has been a couple of years since we've been to the Des Moines Zoo, so we'd like to go again this summer, especially because they have a Curious George exhibit going on right now - and we have big Curious George fans in our family.  We are also going on a family vacation to St. Louis this summer and we have plans on going to their zoo too.

We aren't being picky, but we'd like to go to a Science or Children's Museum this summer.  We are planning on going to the St. Louis Science Center on our family vacation, and we are interested in doing a day trip to the Iowa Children's Museum.

Each summer our family gets a membership to our local golf course but it always seems like we don't make time to go golfing.  We have actually already been golfing once this year and hope to do more golfing on Sundays after church.

So there is a look into our family's Summer Bucket List.  What is on your family's list for this year?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

A Week's Worth of Blessings

It is hard to believe that a week ago, My Farmer and I welcomed our fourth child, a baby girl, to this world.  She still feels so new, and so little, but at the same time she has jumped into the flow of our family quite well.  I wanted to introduce you all to "Tinker" but I couldn't find just that one photo that would share how truly blessed I have felt this past week.  So here are seven photos (for a week's worth of time) to show you our newest bundle of joy.

This photo My Farmer took of me and our little girl literally minutes after she entered the world.  I think my face says - holy cow, our baby is here (she was born exactly 30 minutes after we were admitted at the hospital and was delivered by the wonderful nurses because the doctor didn't make it in time), and at the same time, do we really need a photo.  But now, I'm happy that we have a look at the precious first minutes.

Here's the first photo of My Farmer and Tinker after we got settled in our maternity room.  I think his face says, I can't believe I am the father of one boy and THREE girls, but at the same time, she already has me wrapped around her finger - literally, look at her hold tight onto her Daddy's finger.

To say the kids were excited to welcome their baby sister to the family would be an understatement.  The anticipation level was quite high for our household for a solid week prior to Tinker's arrival (so thank goodness she came a few days before her due date - I'm not sure the kids could have lasted...).  It was fun to hear the kids coming down the hallway the morning our baby girl was born.  I could hear them tell everyone that they were on their way to meet their new baby sister, and my Mom told me that they were telling everyone, if they were interested or not. 

LP is loving his role as big brother for the third time.  He is a great helper and thinks Tinker is "so cute".  He may have been rooting for a baby brother, but he got over it before even arriving at the hospital.  I think he'll enjoy being the big brother to all his little sisters.

MP is loving having a new baby sister at home.  If I would let her, I think she'd probably hold her all day long.  She is also a big helper; she assists with most diapers and gives me "tips" while nursing.  There is definitely no shortage of love for our new baby girl from her big sister MP.

JP has entered into her role as big sister very nicely.  She loves tickling her baby sister and giving her kisses and hugs.  Every day she'll take her turn holding her for about a minute, but then looses interest and is off and running to the next thing (the attention span of a 16 month old is not very long...).

I am so thankful for four happy and healthy children, for a great husband who is a caring father, for a supportive family, and for quiet moments to enjoy and soak it all in.

As time has gone on since starting this blog, our family has obviously grown.  We have always used our children's nicknames we used in the womb for on the blog, but now that we have four, I'm wondering if I should change their names to actually better fit who they are.  What would you all think if I changed the kids' names to reflect their actual first names?  Let me know your thoughts and remember to Comment for a Cause!

The Influence of Millennials on Food Trends

A couple months ago I was asked if I'd be willing to answer some questions about Millennials and Food Trends.  I thought, why not?  I'm a Millennial, I love food, and I'm always interested in learning more about upcoming food trends.  So I agreed to do an interview with Successful Farming about my opinion on the subjects.

What do you see as the most topical food trends?

My kids love grocery shopping with me,
especially when they get their own cart!

I think the top food trends today are local and healthy.  As a Mom and the cook for my growing family, I have to agree.  I would classify myself as a foodie and I want to make sure my family is eating a healthy, well-balanced diet.  I think a lot of young families are trying to make more homemade foods, but yet still want convenience for their busy lives.  I try to cook and bake with as many whole foods as possible.  The produce section is an area that I spend a lot of time in at the grocery store.  That being said, I also try to eat and prepare seasonal foods.  Purchasing foods when they are in-season not only gives me the best flavor, but also the best price.  I try to visit my local Farmer's Market in the summer at least a few times, which gives me access to seasonal foods.  I grow my own vegetable garden at home too.  I have an appreciation for local.  I try to shop local as much as possible.  One difference with local though is that others think if they can't buy direct from the farmer or manufacturer it isn't local.  I know that our pigs are sold to Tyson and that the Tyson pork roast or bacon at your grocery store could be from one of our pigs.  I also know that a large majority of the meats used at Subway are made from Iowa turkey.  There are a lot of local products in our grocery store and restaurants that don't have the local label on it.  I also love to try new foods and cooking techniques, which I think is a growing food trend too.  Making foods with Spanish, Italian, Greek, etc. flavors isn't uncommon for my family and I.  But when I was a kid, I didn't eat food with ethnic influences on a regular basis.  My basic cooking skills and recipes I learned from my Mom; my kids are now learning from me, which will carry these new food trends on to the next generation.

How do you think farmers have responded to these changing food trends?

I was apart of a "Hot Button Issues" panel last month
as part of the CommonGround program in Washington DC

I think farmers are doing a better job now, than ever before at listening to consumers.  Agriculture understands we can't ignore their interests.  With social media and access to information (both facts and myths) we need to make sure we are giving consumers correct information so they don't fear their food.  There are a lot of groups that do a good job of providing training for farmers on how to have conversations with consumers about food trends.  I personally have found trainings through CommonGround (which is a program of the United Soybean Board and National Corn Growers), Iowa Farm Bureau and the National Pork Board to be beneficial for myself.  And, I started this blog after participating in the Dupont Young Leader program four years ago.  Myself and other farmers see the need to make connections and build trust with our consumers.  Consumers want to know more about where their food comes from, so by participating in social media, media interviews, one on one conversations at the grocery store, etc. we are being more transparent about farming and food.  There are only around 2% of Americans involved in farming nationwide; that means around 98% of consumers don't live on the farm.  Farmers need to be apart of the conversation to help answer the questions of that huge majority.

New food trends have also created new demands and changing markets for farmers.  I personally believe in and love that we have food choices in America.  Because we have food choices, there are some farmers that have changed their farming practices to meet those new demands like, planting high-oleic soybean soybeans, raising crops and livestock USDA organic certified, creating direct-sales markets, etc.

As a Millennial, what are you doing to be part of the food trend discussion?

My family and I in the tractor planting this past spring

I think my generation of Millennials are going to help "bridge the gap" between farmers and consumers.  Young farmers are technology savvy and have more resources now, than ever before, to be able to stay connected with the non-farm audience.  Just like with every generation, I believe there is a "movable middle" that we can influence and build trust with, but there are already some that are extreme on their views and we'll probably have to just agree to disagree.

I can relate to other Millennials because we have similar interests and goals.  I want to provide a healthy diet for my family and I have the same idealism of wanting to make the world a better place.  That is why we are always looking at new technologies and research so we can make our farm sustainable for the next generation.  We want to make the best choices and decisions for our farm so our land and animals are the best and healthiest they can be.

What do you think are current food trends?  How much influence do you think Millennials have on the marketplace?  Where do you go for trusted information on food?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

5 Ways to have Fall Family Fun at Enchanted Acres

* I received complimentary admission and activities to facilitate 
my review.  All views and opinions shared are my own. * 

Fresh air, pumpkin spice and campfire are all smells you can expect to experience at Enchanted Acres, located outside of Sheffield, Iowa.  I have been lucky to have experienced this pumpkin patch grow over the last few years.  Yesterday, the kids and I had a great time checking out everything new for 2015 with the North Iowa Bloggers, and we wanted to share with you our Top 5 ways to have some Fall Family Fun at Enchanted Acres:

1. Explore the Playground - This might seem like a simple thing, but the playground at Enchanted Acres is the first thing my kids want to go to when we arrive.  There are tractor tires to climb on, a sandbox with lots of shovels and toys, ladybug tire swings, and a few sit and scoot toys to drive around.  The playground is a great place for kids to simply run around and have some fun.

   

   MP and JP enjoying the playground

2. Use Your Imagination at Books in the Barn - Books in the Barn was a new activity at Enchanted Acres last year that my family loved coming out for.  Each week has a new book theme where the kids get to listen to the book, make a craft related to it and eat a snack that is associated with it.  This weekend is "Teddy Bear Picnic", so be sure to bring your teddy bear!

   

   LP at The Lorax Books in the Barn last year
   He's eating his Truffula Tree Cotton Candy next to his paper plate Lorax

3. Take A Silly Photo - Enchanted Acres is full of photo opportunities.  I swear every angle you turn is photo worthy.  When we came home from the pumpkin patch yesterday I asked the kids what their favorite part was.  LP said he loved pretending to be a witch!  From witches, to ghosts, to a pumpkin coach - there are many face cutouts that the family can have fun taking photos in.

   

   LP the Witch

4. Meet Nibbles the Goat - Nibbles the goat is the unofficial mascot of Enchanted Acres.  She is a pygmy goat who loves people, especially if you give her some goat food!  She oversees the pumpkin patch, along with several other goats.  You will have to go checkout their home.  The goats have a lot of fun ramps and bridges to play on that bring entertainment for both them, and observers.

   

   LP feeding Nibbles

5. Decorate a Pumpkin - Each week there is a different pumpkin decorating workshop you can participate in.  From decorating with duct tape, to glitter, to paint - it is a fun activity to participate in where the mess stays literately in the barn and you can bring home the final product!  
   

This is just the start of fun you can have at Enchanted Acres.  With the North Iowa Bloggers we also enjoyed going on a hay rack ride and making campfire pizzas and pies.  I can't wait to bring the kids back to explore the Enchanted Forest and look for fairies and to fire the pumpkin cannon.

The North Iowa Bloggers on a hay rack ride
Abbey of Mind, Body, Babies, Laura of Cat Tales with Laura,
Becky of Knotty Things, Katy of Learning As I Go and Alicia of Fit & Farm

Owner, Shannon Latham,
explaining the 30 varieties of pumpkins

Enchanted Acres opening weekend is this weekend and on Sunday, Enchanted Acres is a part of the Franklin County Farm Crawl.  Enchanted Acres is open 9am to 5pm Thursday through Saturday and 11am to 5pm on Sundays through November 1st.  To get the full schedule, check out the Enchanted Acres website, and make sure to "Like" them on Facebook.  It is a great spot to keep up to date on their latest news and special offers.

I also have to put a special plug in for next Saturday, September 26th as Enchanted Acres is hosting the Make-A-Wish Iowa Fall Ball.  We'll have inflatables, face painting, balloon animals, horse drawn carriage rides, etc. and the gate admission will be donated to Make-A-Wish Iowa!  I hope you come out to support our local Wish families and future Wish children, as well as Enchanted Acres next Saturday.

What is your favorite way to have fall family fun?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

2015 Family Summer Bucket List

Each Summer one of my favorite things to do with and for my family is create a Summer Bucket List.  We have had a lot of fun the last couple of years (2014, 2013) making memories (some of which have even become traditions) crossing items off our Summer Bucket Lists.  I'm sure this year will be no different!  Something a little different for this year's list, it is all centered on things to do where we live in North Iowa.  It is always fun discovering your backyard!

1. Have a family date night by going mini golfing, golfing, swimming or roller skating.  Instead of just going out to eat, we're vowing to doing a little entertainment too.  We have enjoyed going mini-golfing at North Iowa Golf in Mason City; it is a fun course and an easy activity to do with all ages.  We also are planning on golfing more this summer at our local Latimer Golf Course; this is a nice 9-hole golf course and the kids always like getting cheese balls and a juice box from the Bunker (aka the club house) while we golf.  We also want to go swimming as a family some evening at the Hampton Aquatic Center, which has fun water slides for all ages and has a zero entry side of the pool which is great for little ones.  Lastly, we're looking forward to improving our roller skating skills at Roller City in Mason City sometime this summer.  We went once this winter and I was pleasantly surprised how, dare I say easy, my roller skating feet came back to me after probably a 15 year hiatus.  Plus there are always veteran skaters there willing to help young (and old) get going on their skates.  Ron, who is 75, most likely will be there.  He is a great helper and is fun to watch skate himself!
2. Have you ever wanted to go on a treasure hunt?  Well, you should try Letterboxing.  Letterboxing is similar to geocaching, except you follow directions or clues to find a Letterbox (usually a small waterproof container) that has a rubber stamp, and sometimes more clues, in it.  We heard about this family fun activity last month and found our first letterbox yesterday.  The kids had a lot of fun!  To get started, check out the AtlasQuest or Letterboxing North America websites to see if there are any hidden letterboxes in your area.  We're looking forward to finding letterboxes all summer long around North Iowa and starting a letterbox journal, so we can document all of our finds.
3. Summer wouldn't be complete without going on a picnic.  One of our favorite Picnic spots in North Iowa is City Beach in Clear Lake.  We usually bring something from home or pick up some sandwiches from Starboard Market, and pick out a picnic table right next to the shoreline.  We then love cooling off at the Splash Pad at City Beach, and if you stay long enough, the ice cream truck will come by and you can get dessert!
4. Our family loves being outside, so we look forward to going on nature walks this summer.  Central Gardens in Clear Lake or Beeds Lake in Hampton are great spots to take some photos, make some rubbings or play "I spy" with your family.
5. My Farmer and I use to go camping a lot, but I have to admit, since we've had kids we haven't went camping beyond in a tent in our backyard.  But this summer we are planning on going camping at Beeds Lake or Clear Lake!  It should be a lot of fun!
6. I love to cook for my family and I love to use seasonal produce.  (Right now we've been eating a lot of asparagus and I'm working on getting some morel mushrooms...)  Anyways, I love supporting my local community and we're planning on checking out our area Farmer's Markets.  North Iowa is home to several including Franklin County, Clear Lake and North Iowa in Mason City.
7. Last year LP participated in Rock 'n' Tots at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake and this year we're planning on going again and having MP join in on the fun!  Rock 'n' Tots is a fun musical program where kids ages 5 and under dance, play instruments and make instruments.  It is every Monday at 9:30 a.m. from June 8 to July 20.  You can come for just a class or two, or you can come for the whole session.
8. We are looking forward to celebrating June Dairy Month again this summer by continuing our Iowa Ice Cream Trip.  One stop has to be at a North Iowa ice cream place!  Last year we went to Birdsall in Mason City.  This year we're thinking Stan's Drive-In in Osage or the Viking Drive-In in Ventura, or maybe we should go on a Drive-In tour and include going to the Barrel Drive-In in Clear Lake...  
9. There are a lot of great festivals and events all summer long in North Iowa.  This year we are planning on going to Cannonball Day on June 27 in Mason City.  We have never been to this family fun event that is centered on the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad steam locomotive #457 in East Park.  Both LP and MP love trains, so this is the perfect summer celebration to check out!
10. Last on our North Iowa Summer Bucket List is attending the Franklin County Fair, July 15-19.  Yes, this is our home county fair, but it really is the best in the area.  There is free parking and admission, plus a lot of fun and free games, activities and shows.  And each evening there is great grandstand entertainment.  This year's lineup includes Hairball, Montgomery Gentry, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, PRCA rodeo and Cruiser Car/Go Cart/4 Wheeler Races.  Plus, you have to end your day with some homemade ice cream from Pleasant Hill.

What is on your Summer Bucket List?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!